My morning started out a little bit lazy. I was supposed to wake up and run four miles with AR, but I stayed in bed instead. Poor AR had to go without me, but in my defense, it was my first week off!

I prepped breakfast for us while he was running. I sliced bananas and peaches, topped them with plain greek yogurt, hemp hearts, chai seeds, and almond granola. SO yummy. This is becoming a routine breakfast over the summer and I love it. Of course, there was lots of coffee too.

I pulled my lazy self together and walked to the gym for a strength training session and my four miles. The weather was absolutely amazing - anything below 90 is incredible these days. I am not used to this cool weather, so I put on pants and a three-quarter length sleeved top. <-- I've lost my mind.

For lunch, I had a quick wheat toast sandwich filled with peanut butter and more banana. Served with sliced carrots, bell pepper, and cucumber.

I quickly ran to meet up with a friend to prep for our interviews next week. We had a blast at Starbucks, where I enjoyed an iced soy latte (unpictured) and a granola bar. We did a bunch of research and went over some questions for a few hours, which was so helpful. Thanks Andrea!

I snacked on some chocolate protein fudge (recipe from the Fitnessista) while prepping for dinner. I picked up fresh tuna for a favorite pasta recipe.

This is loosely based on a recipe from Gwen P. I started by cooking a half pound tuna steak on the stove. After about 7 minutes over medium heat, I removed the tuna, added for olive oil, and sauteed a half cup of drained capers until crispy. Meanwhile, I cooked some whole wheat angle hair pasta in another pot. I removed the capers with a slotted spoon, then sauteed garlic in the oil. Once slightly brown, I added the juice of one lemon, salt & pepper, and red pepper flakes. I shredded the tuna into large chunks and added it to the oil, along with the crispy capers and pasta. I tossed it together and topped it with Parmesan cheese. Yum.

We enjoyed ours with grilled asparagus. AR loved the recipe and we will be making it again soon. (FYI, I've made this with canned tuna before and the flavor was still good. It made the dish much cheaper too!)

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

So AR's birthday was this month. My older brother's birthday was in June. My younger brother's birthday is this month. Thankfully I get a few months off before my Dad's birthday and then it is CHRISTMAS!

shopping for this one is a lot of work!

Am I the only one who thinks showing for men can be hard? Really hard?

After agonizing over these man gifts for weeks, I was contacted by Man Crates. Man Crates is an awesome company that compiles manly gift "baskets" into crates and ships them to the recipient! As their websites says,

"We say 'no' to ugly neckties, cologne samplers and executive trinkets. We don't save wrapping paper, we don't do ribbons.
We ship bragworthy gifts for guys. Gifts that you can't wait to arrive because you know the recipient will love opening them.Gifts that people gather round at the office, people following the sounds of wood being torn from wood by the included, laser-engraved crowbar."

Man Crates asked me to create my own crate for a man in my life. I was so excited and completely up for the challenge!

Of course, I first flipped through the numerous crate options on their website and saw their amazing ideas: they have crates for:

and many many more. I really love that military families save 10% too.

I picked my older brother, Jesse, as the recipient of my crate. For him, I would create a "You're so Fly Fishing Kit". My brother is an avid fly-fisher and loves new gear, so this would be perfect. I filled my crate with things any fly-fisher would need, whether they are new to the sport, or a veteran.

You're So Fly Fishing Kit

- Fly-Tying Kit. If you are a serious Fly-Fisher, you tie your own flies. Here is a kit to get started!It comes with everything someone might need to tie their own flies for their next trip.

- Waterproof Fly Box: Waterproof because fly fishing involved standing in the water and people like me drop things. This is a great place for him to put those new flies in! I like this one too because it is a little larger.

- A hat to block the sun: I chose this nike hat that comes in several colors, but your man may won't something more outdoorsy ;)

- Snacks!! Clif Bars and Jerky are my top two choices for fishing snacks. I would send him a pack of each :)

Shopping for men can be so hard and these crates are a great way to please the men in your life. No need to wrap the gift or ship it - Man Crates takes care of all of it. I love these as a pick-me-up during finals or busy season at work: who needs a birthday to send a gift? I encourage you to check out the Man Crates Website!

Monday, July 28, 2014

This weekend was filled with lots of fun, food, and running. It started on Thursday evening. This was my last week at work, so I went out with drinks with several of the interns from my summer internship. Did I ever mention that I was the only female intern this summer? I was. Thus, I felt compelled to order a serious cocktail while out with the guys.

This beauty had jack daniels, ginger ale, honey syrup, and bitters. It was yummy and way too strong.

Friday was a bittersweet last day - I had such a wonderful summer! AR and I stayed in and started the weekend with a trip to Whole Foods (always). We made an amazing dinner at home with fish, swiss chard, brown butter almond sauce, and steamed cauliflower.

I slept in on Saturday and then headed to the gym for a 7 mile pace run. AR and I are working on negative splits, so my legs were pretty done at the end. I met up with a friend for a bit, and then took a girls trip to SEPHORA!

Can. Not. talk about how much I love Sephora. We were in there for like 2 hours (I was late for dinner with AR - oops). I tried these new goodies:

1. Urban Decay make-up setting spray. I have seen this several times on Jaclyn Hill's you-tube channel (love her!), so I wanted to give it a shot. I tried in on Friday night and loved the way it made my makeup look.

2. ExfoliKate: I've loved this product for a while now. I ran out of it about 6 months ago and I'm not sure why I took so long to replace it. It does amazing things for my skin. You can get a small bottle of it at the Sephora check out counter for $20 and it will last for a few months.

3. Jose Maron light argon oil: I got a sample of this product and tried it last night. It really absorbed quickly and left my face feeling amazingly smooth this morning. So far, loving it.

Friday night was an even that had been on my calendar for a month! AR purchased tickets for us to see Gone with the Wind at the Fox Theater. This theater is where the film originally premiered and the movie was celebrating its 75th anniversary. I was so excited!

The movie was wonderful. AR had secured ideal seats. We snacked on popcorn and m&ms while enjoying the film, which is very long. Poor AR wasn't aware that he had signed up for that long of a film! We didn't leave until almost midnight, after almost 5 hours at the theater.

Sunday. You know the drill: long run.

14 miles to be exact. 14 very hot, very sunny miles. Glad that is done.

The evening ended with frozen yogurt. My local organic frozen yogurt shop has a new flavor: ALMOND BUTTER FROZEN YOGURT!!! AR thought it was too strong, but I thought it was perfect.

What is your favorite frozen yogurt flavor?

Have you seen Gone with the Wind? Did you make it through in one sitting?

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Things really got intense this week in my marathon training! The farther into my training plan I get, the higher the mileage. I'll be honest, my legs are shot.

If you are just checking in, I am chronicling my journey to the Chicago Marathon. You can find my whole training plan here - this is my third marathon and I am really stepping up the training this time around!

Monday - rest. I often cross train on Mondays, but today was just a rest day. I walked about 2 miles, and that was perfect.Tuesday - 4 mile run. AR and I ran before work and it was gorgeous weather.Wednesday - 7 5 mile run. This was supposed to be a 7 mile run, but I got out of the house late. I did this on the treadmill. I walked 2 miles later, but I technically didn't get all of the miles :(Thursday - 4 mile run outside. Nothing special.Friday - rest. Long walk to the park during lunch.

Saturday - 7 mile pace run. I walked to the gym and jogged for a half of a mile on the treadmill. I started with 2 miles at a 9:05. I then did 2 miles at a 8:50, shifting to a 8:40 pace for the remained of the run. AR and I walked home from the gym.Sunday - 14 miles. It was hot and humid, but we did it! I may have taken a potty break inside Starbucks around mile 8 (oops), but other than that, things were good. I snacked on a couple energy jelly beans on the run around mile 10, which helped with energy. I didn't eat much on Saturday, which absolutely influenced my running. I could tell I was under fed and tired, but I still managed!

Next week the only change is my Sunday long run, which shifts from 14 to 15. No biggie - I got this :)

On a side note, I seriously need to get some new running shoes. August is going to be horrific and my shoes on are on their way out! Ill be checking out the Saucony website shortly.

Monday, July 21, 2014

This is my last week at my amazing summer internship. I have so enjoyed my 10 weeks in my office and cannot believe it is over already.

What I really can't seem to believe is that I am about to start 2L year. For those who aren't familiar with law school, we call ourselves 1Ls, 2Ls, or 3Ls, depending on the year.

1L year was pretty rough. For those of you who read my blog regularly, I'm sure you saw the bags grow under my eyes with each passing week. Transitioning from teaching first grade to attending law school was awkward. Going home each night to 200+ pages of reading was exhausting. Knowing my entire grade depended on only one exams was terrifying. I learned a lot about my own study habits and made some good changes between semesters. It was a transition, but I am better for it.

A beautifully labeled Civil Procedure outline I made.

My Property law flashcards. My friend Kate and I bought every large note card we could find and used them ALL. We eventually ran out and switched to smaller one. Sad.

I am so excited to start the next year. I feel like I know how to approach the classes better now. I feel more confident in my abilities and more excited about the materials I am studying.

Interviews for next summer's internships start in August (thinking about law school? Remember that both your 1L summer and 2L summer internships are decided on your first year's grades. And most people get offers post-graduation from their 2L summer internship. That means everything rides on 1L year. No pressure.). I have a great selection of firms lined up and I am so excited. I am obsessed with learning everything about the firms, their partners, their clients, everything. Interviewing is so much fun, but also worrisome. I am so happy to have options and a great support system.

1L year is suppose to be more challenging than the other years. Once you learn how to study the law, it becomes easier. Many people become less worried about grades after the first year too. I don't think that is likely for me, I am too competitive ;) I do hope I am able to enjoy other things and not be so totally enveloped in classes the entire year.

For now, I am trying to focus textbooks and class schedules so I don't become too stressed. I have a couple weeks off before classes start, thankfully. I need to stock up on sleep for the upcoming year! I hope this next year includes a little more fun and relaxation than the previous one. Grades are wonderful, but relationships are essential. I want to invest in both this time around.

T - 3 miles outside before work. About a 8:50 pace. W - 5 miles on the treadmill at a 9 minute paceTh - 3 miles outside. No idea what the pace was because my Garmin was taking forever to find its satellite and I ran without it. In true runner fashion, I know the 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 mile marks from every direction of my home.

F - rest, but LOTS of walking. I walked home from work, to a museum, to dinner, and back home for a total of 4 miles.

S - 6 mile pace run. I did a half mile warm up, 5 miles starting at 8:50 and moving to 8:20, and a half mile cool down. This was hard because I was feeling lazy, but Sex and the City was on at the gym, so I was happy :)

S - 9 miles. This was under a 10 mile pace the whole way and my legs felt so much stronger than the week before! AR's legs were hurting, but he did his pace run much faster on Saturday.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Good morning! Linking up with Ms. Leslie today for some Friday Confessions. Enjoy!

I confess that I ate cereal for
breakfast like 3 times this week. Remember my awesome breakfast meals? Yeah. I
got lazy and sick of anything warm in the mornings. I come back from my runs
too over heated, so it’s just cereal or yogurt.

I confess that I canceled Barre class and went to a
vegan restaurant with my friend Luci last night. We were supposed to go to
class at 5:45 and do dinner afterwards, but we decided dinner was enough. I ran
yesterday morning, so at least I got a workout in. I had a veggie and quinoa stir-fry with thai peanut sauce and tempeh. Yum.

I confess that I watched
Real Housewives of New York on Tuesday night because I have no good summer
shows. I wish Revenge and Nashville would come back… RHNY just isn’t comparable.
I can only watch middle ages women scream and drink wine do much.

I confess that I read three articles on aloe vera juice this morning before work. Anyone take this? Should I be taking it? I read that it is the most amazing healthy and beauty product on earth and can cure things like cancer and ulcers. I also read that it kills rats because it increases toxin levels in the body. I don’t have ulcers and I am not a rat, so the information didn’t help me much. Thoughts?

I

confess that am finally going to the Atlanta High Museum
tonight. I’ve lived in ATL for one year and haven’t done many museums, so
tonight we are going. I am not a big modern art fan… but we will see!

I confess that I am going to the mall tomorrow for a second
time to find new black high heels. Mine have officially had it. Last weekend I went
and they only had one box of the pair I wanted. When I opened the box, it had
one size 7 shoe and one size 7.5 L Let’s hope I can find two of the same size this
weekend. (should that be this hard? I don't think so.)

Weekend plans: Museum and dinner tonight, 6 mile pace run on Saturday, brewery tour with some coworkers on Saturday night, 9 mile run on Sunday, and then my last week of my summer internship!!

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

A few weeks ago, AR and I had an amazing weekend in Naples. Here are some snapshots of our trip to the beach!

Gorgeous view!

Enjoying some beach time R & R

Amazing Italian dinner at Campiello's. A friend recommended this place and it was excellent. I had a pasta with olives, tuna, and tomatoes. Of course, there was lots of wine and bread too. #whatbikini?

Speaking of bikini... Beach moment!

Tour of the Everglades! This was one of the best things we did. I loved every moment of the tour and it was so beautiful.

Baby alligator!

And I got to hold him! How adorable is this? Clearly, I was ridiculously excited.

Sunset

Our beach. We spent lots of time out here.

This was our resort. I am so happy we chose to stay here - it was perfect. The pools were incredible, the beach was stunning. I would absolutely recommend the Waldorf Astoria!

Monday, July 14, 2014

Today went by amazingly fast, but that could be because I was half asleep for the whole thing ;) Anyways, I am recaping last week's marathon training. You can find my whole training plan here.

Monday: (cross-training) Barre3. This was my second class and I absolutely loved it. I really enjoyed the class, though I worry about the heavy leg work. My legs get so so sore, but the workout is incredible.

Tuesday: 3 miles

Wednesday: 6 miles

Thursday: 3 miles. My run got rained out about a mile in. I went home, changed clothes, and grabbed another Barre3 class with some friends. The class was my hardest yet! To make it even better, it was an 80's themed day, so we all looked fabulous :P

Friday: Rest!!! (work, amazing dinner with friends, lots of wine).

Saturday: 5 mile run, 2 mile walk. AR and I ran 5 miles together at the gym while watching A League of Their Own, then walked a mile to breakfast and a mile back home.

Sunday: 12 miles. This was a rough one. Last week's 11 miles were perfect, but this week was rough. Perhaps it was the warmer/sunnier weather, maybe it was the later start... who knows. But we made it!

After running, we made grits and turkey bacon. A few hours later, I grabbed a meal with several girlfriends from school. We had such a wonderful time. I enjoyed a half order of french toast, fruit, and an iced latte. So much fun girl time.

Next Week: Looking forward to a shorter week. Next weekend has a 6 mile pace run and a 9 mile long run. My legs are really suffering from the double weekend runs, so I am excited for the lighter week :) (not gonna think about the 14 miles the following week).

About Me

I'm a new southerner, running enthusiast, and baking fanatic. I am always looking for something sweet to bake and a new restaurant to true! Join me as I navigate my twenties, my next race, and new recipes!